Home from Hospital Friends

This volunteering role is vital for the delivery of the Neighbourhood Friends Service. Our Home from Hospital Volunteers support those patients who do not qualify for NHS patient transport services and do not have family or friends to take them home. Our volunteers collect patients from wards at the RD&E or Community Hospitals, drive them home and help to settle in by, for example, turning on the heating and making them a welcome home cup of tea. This is such a rewarding role and is greatly appreciated by all patients as it helps to reduce their anxieties about going home alone, which in many cases also helps to aid their recovery.

What’s required …

Pledge – Home from Hospital Friends offers a very flexible as and when volunteering role – with no regular time commitment necessary.

Qualities and skills – Our Home form Hospital Friends will need to be patient and understanding, be reliable and discreet. Hold a clean driving licence, have access to an insured vehicle with a current MOT.

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) – this role will require volunteers to complete a DBS check.

Training and support - All volunteers will receive induction training, which covers information on issues such as confidentiality, manual handling, detailed information about the role of a Home from Hospital Friends Volunteer and the support you will receive from the staff team to help you in your role.

A member of staff will also accompany you on your first hospital discharge to show you where to park, where to go to on the ward etc.

Expenses - You will be reimbursed for all agreed out of pocket travel costs.

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Our staff and team of extraordinary volunteers support people aged 18 and over, who need extra support to prevent admission to hospital or who may need help settling back at home after a stay in hospital.

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Why fund us?

Westbank is a Devon based charity that provides services and support in your community to help people live independently, healthy and happily.Be part of this wonderful charity, a donation from you could help fund life changing projects, and make a positive difference to those who we support.